Prologue (Adel to Pt Adel)

DAY 1 (Adelaide to Victor Harbor)

DAY 2 (Victor Harbor to Meningie)

DAY 3 (Meningie to Robe)

DAY 4 (Robe to Mt. Gambier)

DAY 5 (Mt. Gambier to Port Fairy)

DAY 6 (Port Fairy to Port Campbell)

DAY 7 (Port Campbell to Lorne)

DAY 8 (Lorne to Melbourne)

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Hotel Victor

It was a warm Saturday morning and was about 19 degree. Everyone, as you can see, were not even wearing their arm warmers. It was well debated last night during dinner: "Why do we have to start so late at 10am?" Everyone came to the hotel front with excitement and most of us had already dressed up with our cycling jerseys and knicks, and were ready to roll by 9am. Outside Hilton, some of us were performing a final check-up of their bikes with Greg (the mechanics), or just chatting with each other, or doing stretches. Also present at the start were the media (channel 7 and channel 10 news team), the Police, and Phil Latz, the editor of Bicycling Australia magazine. If we added more fans there, it would definitely like the start of Tour Down Under!

About one-third of us participated the inaugural Bicycle Australia Challenge last October. So, this morning we also hosted the first reunion. Among the 103 starters this year, 36 were Victorians and 30 were from NSW. We also had riders coming from WA, NT, Qld, SA, Tasmania, and a couple from USA (on a tandem) and Hong Kong. We were also glad to have 4 young fellow riders from the Teen Challenge, which is a rehabilitation program for young people and the organization that we were raising money for during this trip.

With the media recording this morning, I had to make myself stand out. Well! I had an idea. As we were going to the Eagle on the Hill this morning, why don't I dressed up like Jalabert! (see right)

Phil organised us to have a group photo and a few cheers before the start. It did nothing but made me more nervous and itchy to ride out. My heart rate was racing above 100 even if I was standing next to my bike. I rolled out with the other 102 riders and 3 big lens cameras stuck to my face. I kept myself in the front few riders while a VT-SS Commodore Police vehicle paced us out of the city. The pedestrians on the way watched and possibly wondered what the heck was going on. I suddenly felt like a superstar. Police left us at the base of Eagle on the Hill. We rode along the very nice cycle path up and soon opened up to a quiet wide road to the summit. The hill was gentle without any sharp increase in gradient. It is certainly a scenic route.

Down the narrow and twisty descend to Mylor. It was certainly hard to attack with blinds corners which the left edges were full of gravels and holes. I could only push the last 20km to the first lunch stop at Meadows Bakery. Twenty of us were there already by 1130, half an hour before Phil's official lunch hour. By that time, we could all see the wind changing and dark clouds approaching. After strong public pressure, the shop eventually opened.

I stuffed my chicken sandwich down as quickly as possible. I decided to go on my own before it started to rain. From Phil's profile map, it was an easy 50 km downhill. That was when the 'Phil's factor' comes in. Firstly, it was not 50 km but 55 km. Secondly, there were climbs like near the Wilunga Hill that is at least 200m up. A famous saying states: "what goes up must come down". Twenty kilometers out of Victor Harbor we came to a long straight mad descent. I pedaled hard in top gear (53Tx12T) to chase the group in front and hit 71kmh! When I arrived with the group to the beach, Andrew was already on the massage table. I also enjoyed the massage from Marilyn.

Oh it was nice! my tired body was treated by professional masseur. My clamped muscles thawed gently under a lukewarm sunshine. I could smell of brine scant from the gentle sea breeze. Seagulls were flying over me, and thank you I did not need any more lubricant :-).

We stayed tonight at the Hotel Victor, which was very close to the beach. The cool change dampened my mood to visit the Granite Island. Anyhow, I was glad that I arrived dry today.